Jillian Clarke's - Starting an online discussion forum for health professionals in a large organisation
My mini conference will be looking at the process, benefits and restrictions in trying to develop an online discussion forum for multi disciplinary maternity health professionals in a large organisation (my organisation is a QLD health). I have come across many road blocks and am undecided about which platform to use, whether to use an existing one, whether to use an intranet platform (only accessible at work) or use a well known, already established platform that will immediatey provide numbers. My research so far has shown that despite people thinking it is a good idea, most people are reluctant to engage or appathetic which means only a select few do and this stifles the discussion. I am concerned about confidentiality issues if I keep it within the facility and that people don't really have the time at work to reflect and engage in discussions, so can see the benfit for having the platform off site. I would love to chat to anyone and am very open to suggestions. I would like to hold a synchronous event which would include people who have tried to set a similar forum up and have or have not been successful - there tips, advice and what they found worked. I would also like people who have participated in a discussion forum in a large organisation to give their feedback as well. Looking forward to your thoughts.
Hi Jillian, I too am interested in your question. I wonder if the reluctance to participate could be linked to the quality of the invitation and the level of commitment it offers potential participants to sign up for. It could also be linked to familiarity and ease of use of the tools required to participate. The other thing I often think is unclear is the level of participation expected of a participant. Am I being invited to: listen to an expert, listen to other people discuss a topic, contribute my own ideas, ask questions, receive feedback on my questions, listen to responses to other people's questions, share my reflections and insights on the patterns I see emerging in the conversation, listen to other people sharing their reflections and insights, voting on topics, making group decisions, collaborate with others to work together on a project, make an agreement to meet again?
Hi Jillian, this sounds like a really impoartant question to address and think it sounds great that you have linked the event to a problem you are having that you want to work through. Although I'm not working in an organisation like yours (i.e. a large organisation of health professionals), I would find it really useful to attend your event from the perspective of an educator, and considering how students can be encouraged to engage in online discussion more. Will look forward to it. Karen Wilson
Well as always happens, when you start to delve into a problem, new ideas and opportunities arise. While this mini confernce was going to be about devolping an online discussion forum for multi-disciplinary maternity health professionals in an as yet to be decided platform, I came across what appears to be the perfect platform - ClinEdQ (An Education and Trainng platform that also has the facility to set up a online virtual CoP (Community of practice), blogging, e-portfolio etc. Unbeknown to me, my organisation has had a project in place and is about to unleash this new platform across the state for all public health organisations - yippee!!! So this has changed my plans slightly. I now don't have to search for the right platform and have decided to look at the opportunities and challenges arising from introducing a virtual education and training portal into a large government organisation.
Date and Time: Monday, 1st November, 2010, 11 – 12md Brisbane time or 1.00 - 2.00pm NZ time
Facilitator: Jillian Clarke (Contact details) & Malcolm Lewis (Contact details)
Presenter: Kayleen Gordon
Venue: Elluminate
Description: Do you want to gain an understanding about the opportunities and challenges that impact on participants uptake and engagement in a new education and training e-platform - join us here
Back Up Plan: If there is a total IT failure, we will record another presenter session on Elluminate and open an asynchronous discussion over the next week.
Recording Information: Will be recorded and available on the course wiki
Evaluation: Survey available at the end of the session to provide feedback to facilitators.
Please join us for what I hope will be a stimulating presentation and discussion.
Jillian
What a fantastic idea. I would be interested in knowing about a discussion forum for multi-diciplinarian maternity health professionals. I am a midwife too. I can understand the potential barriers you talk about. Sometimes these discussions can spiral and get out of control with the different philiosophies between professionals. But ironing some of those issues out could leave a fantastic tool and could have huge benefits. I would be interested in the virtual education and training portal. Sounds very advanced for me so I'm sure I will learn loads. Jade
